Sipos László 03 June and 09 July 2020
László SIPOS painter, graphic artist
july 23 1943, Cluj Napoca
1957–62 student of the Middle School of Arts in Cluj Napoca. In 1970 he graduated from the Ion Andreescu Faculty of Art’s textile department, having as masters the esthetician László Földes and the philosopher György Bretter. Between 1970-78 he teaches at the Technical School of the Glass Factory in Turda, respectively at the General School no. 6. , and between 1978-83 he is a teacher at the Children’s Club. In 1990-92 he worked as a graphic designer in the editorial of the periodical magazine “Helikon” in Cluj. Since 1992 he lives and works as a professional freelance artist in Unirea (formerly Vințu de Sus). He has a significant body of illustration artwork, signing more than 70 volumes including -Frans Eemil Sillanpää: People in the summer night/ Ihmiset suviyössä (Gyoma, 1977); József Solymár: Mathew, the fairytale prince (Cluj Napoca, 1994); Our most beautiful folk ballads; (Cluj Napoca, 2003). (1975). He designed several puppet theater decorations; has published articles on art respectively film screenplays. In 1974, together with Ildikó Kovács, created a puppet book.
He is a member of the Fine Artists Union of Romania and of the “Barabás Miklós Céh” fine artists guild relaunched in 1994. He is a member of the Hungarian Academy of Art since 2005. The world of his works is imbued with existentialist philosophy. These quasi-surrealist images and graphic works are unique due to their specific blend of the stylistic characteristics of the absurd, the grotesque and pop-art. In his drawings and paintings, everyday objects such as the needle, thread, scissors, nails, staples, twine, chain, zipper, cogwheels, pliers become symbols of modern life.
He paints with a remarkable sensitivity the figure of the “csángó” woman. In some works he represents pagan idol figures using folk art inspired constructivist elements. Through the countless gags of visual humor he dilutes his murky and sour world thus making it bearable.
Awards an prizes:
1997: The award for painting of the ”Barabás Miklós Céh”; 1999: Prize of the Art Colony of Makó; 2003: Prize of the town of Makó; 2004: ”Szolnay Sándor” Award; 2011: Special Merits Cross of the Hungarian Republic’s Knights Order;
2016: „Székely Bertalan” Art-teachers Prize
Solo exhibitions (selection):
1969: Mathew-House, Cluj Napoca; 1970: The Small Gallery, Cluj Napoca; 1971: Cultural Palace, Târgu Mureș; 1971: Radio-House, Cluj Napoca; 1972: ”Petőfi”-House, Bucharest; 1974: ”István király” Museum, Sfântu Gheorghe; 1976: Korunk Gallery, Cluj Napoca; 1976: Oradea Art Gallery ; 1989: Brassói Lapok, Brașov; 1990: Korunk Gallery, Cluj Napoca; 1996, Gy. Szabó Gallery, Cluj Napoca; 1996, Makó Library; 2001: József Attila Museum, Makó; 2002: Makó Library; 2003: Közelítés Gallery, Pécs; 2005: Fine Art Museum, Cluj Napoca; 2010: Szekler National Museum (with Ildikó Kovács), Sfântu Gheorghe; 2011: Makó; 2011: Cluj Napoca; 2013: Moscow; 2013: Saint Petersburg; 2013: Syktyvkar; 2014: Forrás Gallery, Budapest; 2017: Barabás Miklós Céh Gallery, Cluj Napoca; 2019: Kínálat az életműből (Offer from the life’s work), Ars Sacra Gallery, Cluj Napoca
Group exhibitoins (selection):
1973- 2002: County Exhibition, Cluj Napoca; 1979: Odorheiu Secuiesc, 1990: Korunk Gallery, Cluj Napoca; 1992- 2003: Makó Art Colony; 1996: Korpusz- exhibition, Kaposvár; 1996: Korpusz- exhibition, Budapest; 1997: Barabás Miklós Céh exhibition, Cultural Palace, Târgu Mureș; 1997: Kodály-celebration, Hungarian Opera, Cluj Napoca; 1999: Akt a festészetben (The nude in painting), Cluj Napoca; 2000: Exhibition of the Twin Cities, Art gallery of Pécs; 2000: Eszék; 2001: National Saloon, Bucharest; 2001: Vármegye Gallery, Budapest; 2001: Small sized painting exhibition, Cluj Napoca; 2001: Transylvanian Artists, Bárka Theatre, Budapest; 2008: Hungarian art of Transylvania, Bánffy Palace, Fine Art Museum, Cluj Napoca; 2009: The Barabás Miklós Céh’s 80th anniversary, Gyárfás Jenő Art Gallery, Sfântu Gheorghe; 2010: Barabás Miklós Céh’s youth around the world, Hungarian Cultural Institute in Vojvodina, Zenta (SRB); 2011: Jelképeink (Our Symbols), Kádár László Art Gallery, Covasna; 2015: Sors és Jelkép (Fate and Symbol), Hungarian National Gallery, Budapest; 2019: Üzenet a szakrálisból III (Message from the sacred III), Ars Sacra Gallery, Cluj Napoca.
References:
György BEKE: Festőművész egy erdélyi faluban (Painter in a transylvanian village); ”Új Tükör” periodical magazine, 1979/19. Júlia SZILÁGYI: Az Einstein-galaxistól a Csángó madonnáig- Sipos László művészete lét közelből (A close look at the art of László Sipos – From Einstein’s Galaxy to the „Csángó” Madonna), Korunk Publishing House 1982/7.; István JÓZSA: Szonáta szegekre és láncokra in. Sipos László, (Sonata for nails and chains) ”Műterem” (Studio) series, Pallas-Akadémia Publishing House, Miercurea Ciuc, 2006.
